r e a p // michael clifford

Chapter Five: Static

"EJ? Darling?"
I looked at Carter who seated next to me on my bed. He must have been able to tell that I was worried, because he gave me a slight nod in reassurance.
We sat in silence before Lydia called up the stairs again. "Eliza, please.  Are you here? Hello?!"
"Go on, Liza." Carter grabbed my arm lightly as he stood with me. I didn't want to face Lydia. All I wanted to do was lay in my bed. I set the doll shoe on my bedside table as Carter pulled me out of the room with him.
As we reached the top of the staircase, I watched as Lydia fell onto the couch, placing her head in her hands. She sobbed quietly at first, but then got slightly louder.
"I'm here, Lydia." I spoke quietly.
Lydia's head shot up as she locked eyes with me. "EJ, oh my god." She sprang off of the couch and sprinted up the stairs before pulling me into a tight hug. She cried into my shoulder while stroking my hair. "I was so scared. The principal called me right away, as soon as you left. And- and then Carter said you weren't answering your phone, and the date-"
"Lydia, I'm okay. Really." I responded. I watched Carter bite his lower lip out of my peripheral vision.
She looked up at my and placed a hand on my cheeks as stray tears rolled down hers. "You're still my baby girl. Adopted or not, you're my daughter, and I love you."
"I love you too." I responded. Lydia's words meant a lot to me, but they didn't nessicarily make me feel better.
"Is there anything you need? Anything I can get you?" She said wiping her tears away.
"No, Lydia, I'm okay." I laughed lightly, "I just really, really need a nap."
"Okay." She wiped another tear away and laughed lightly herself, "Okay.  Get some rest." She kissed my forehead and made her way back down the stairs before stopping midway down. She turned to face me.
"And if you need anything at all, just call."
"Thanks." I said quietly.
Carter lightly put his hand on my shoulder and brought me back to her room.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" He asked quietly as I slipped into my bed.
"No, I think I'll be okay." I responded.
"Alright, fair enough. I'll be down stairs if you need anything." He walked out and shut the door behind him.

After Carter left, I reached over to my nightstand and grabbed the Barbie shoe. I twirled it between my fingers and observed it. How did this get in my house? I had given up that Barbie years ago and the other shoe went with it.  I thought of the red haired boy that I met in the park when I was six.  He said he was a fallen angel. He helped me. I was hurt but then I was okay.  He came back after I tried to kill myself today. He helped me. I was okay.

An abrupt glow came from the front of my bed frame. I looked up from my fingertips to see that my TV was on, but there was nothing but static.
I looked panicked to my left to see my remote still there, untouched. I grabbed it quickly and tried to turn it off, but it didn't seem to be working. I pushed the power button harder and harder, but to no avail. It stayed on, and stayed staticky.  The static started to move and shift as I sat paralyzed in my bed., eyes wide with fear.That's when I started making out the text that it was forming. I squinted as I read it aloud:

WHO...HURT.....YOU?

And then everything went black.

🌾🌺🌾

"Oh, darling. We have to stop meeting like this, hm?"
I opened my eyes slowly to see a familiar red halo of shaggy hair. He smiled as he looked down at me.
I shot up quickly as I pulled the blankets closer to me. I was back in the room from my dream. I saw the maroon tapestry and the lavish decor. I felt the familiar cloud-like comfort beneath me.
"Woah, hey. It's alright." He said as he held his hands out. "It's alright."
"Who are you?" I asked quickly. "What do you want?"
He sat on the bed next to where my legs were outstretched. "Don't you remember? I'm Mikey."
"Mikey." I whispered. His name rolled off the tongue as if I'd said it a thousand times before.
"I mean, you did see the Barbie shoe, right? That should've been a dead give away. " he laughed slightly to himself.
"Okay, sure. But what do you want from me? And how do I keep getting here? Where even is here?"
I said, getting slightly angry.
"All in good time, my dear." He stood up and started pacing the room.  "But I'll answer your question. Remember when I helped you out as a kid? You were little, about 6, correct? You were crying in the park with a doll. You were dirty and bruised. You were hurt pretty bad."
I griped the bedsheets tightly as the memories came back.
"I got rid of your parents for you. And you were sent to Lydia and Jason. "
"Now, I usually don't get soft spots for kids, or anyone for that matter, but I saw something in you then, and , I don't know. I had a soft spot for you, I guess. Ever since that day I've been watching out for you and taking care of you. Like today, when you tried to off yourself."
"How'd you save me?"
"I told you, kid. I'm a...  a fallen angel. I can heal... Kinda." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Okay, so you've been looking after me. Why am I here, then?"
"This is the easiest way to get you to talk to me without you sum- calling me. Eliza, I wanted to ask you about today.  Who hurt you?"
I sat up further in the bed and pressed my back against the headboard.  "It doesn't matter" I spat.

"Okay, don't get cold with me. I want to help you."

"Okay but I don't need help. I'm not some 'damsel in distress' who needs rescuing." I said somewhat angrily.I ran my hand through my hair, until it got stuck on something hard and cold. I pulled it out to see that it was a crown. I looked over and Mikey smiled an awkward smile as he rubbed his neck. I rolled my eyes and tossed it to the foot of the bed.

"Regardless. I can't just let you get to that point anymore. I'm here to help. So, who was it?" Mikey crossed his arms and locked eyes with me.
"It doesn't matter. Besides, you can't just kill everyone who gives me conflict." I argued. Mikey raised his finger as if he were gonna say something, then lowered it.

After a few seconds of silence, Mikey looked at me and smiled slightly. "Alright, cool. I don't need you to tell me."
"I know. I don't have to tell you anything." I said crossing my arms, feeling satisfied.
"You're right. You don't. Because I have other sources who can tell me."
My eyes opened widely as I looked over to him.
"Mikey-"
"Well this has been a nice chat but you best get going. You know how to call me if you need me."
"Mikey!-"

🌾🌺🌾

I opened my eyes again and I was back in my room.
And all I could see was static.